Boston Marathon Update & Gainesville's Reaction

Published April 17th, 2013

Loading Video...

GAINESVILLE - We start tonight in Boston-- and North Central Florida's support for the victims of Monday's marathon bombings.

Investigators tonight are hunting for a man seen in a department store security video dropping off a bag at the site of the bombings. Separately, authorities have found an image of a potential suspect but don't know his name.

Meanwhile, people here in North Central Florida gathered not only to mourn those who died at the Boston marathon but to remember how senseless acts can take a toll on our country.

The Gainesville community is doing different things to cope with the tragedy. A couple of University of Florida students I met today had friends running at the Boston Marathon and are glad those friends safe and sound however that wasn't the case for 200 others. And to remember them Gainesville residents got together tonight.

Candles and pictures lit up the UF's commuter lot as students gathered for a mile run to show solidarity with the Boston Marathon runners.

Neal Singh, the president of the Sikh student association, which put the event together, says doing a run like this shows respect on our community's behalf. "This event served as a mean to voice our concerns and voice our feelings about the event and give us hope for a better future," Singh said.

The runners weren't the only ones doing something special tonight. A candlelight vigil was held on University Avenue and 13th Street, by members of Occupy Gainesville like John Fuller who said, "This is a huge injury to our psyche, our sense of safety, our sense of community... You know, they are trying to make us afraid in this country."

Speaking for many others... Fuller says a cowardly act of this kind deserves justice.